The long and troubled history of start-and-stall diplomacy
between
Israel and Palestine hasn't shown much sign of improving. Some
Americans even believe that, after decades of mediating, we should
disengage from the peace process
entirely. Negotiations between Israeli President Shimon Peres and
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas have failed to halt the Israeli
settlements still growing in Palestinian territories, a major point of
contention. But what if Palestine simply declared itself to be an
independent state? Palestinian representatives are
feeling out
the UN for recognition of statehood should they choose to proceed. They
would declare Palestine's borders to be that of 1967. But could it work?
- Palestinian Self-Declaration In Haaretz, prominent Israeli commentator and politician Yossi Sarid calls this "our only chance for an end to the occupation in our time." He explains, "Conditions were no less foggy and circumstances were
no more certain when [Israel founder David] Ben-Gurion declared independence in 1948. But our
founding father took the risk, and we are fortunate that he did," he writes. "When he declares independence, Abbas should call upon
the Jews living in the state of Palestine to preserve the peace and to
do their part in building up the new country as full and equal
citizens, enjoying fair representation in all of its institutions. [...] Although the American position is an unknown, it is
hard to believe that Barack Obama would agree to drag America back into
isolation now that it has begun to be part of the world again."
- Wouldn't Change Anything Jerusalem Post's Haviv Rettig Gur shakes his head. "In principle, little would change. The Palestinian
Authority would have real control over barely 40 percent of the land it
hopes to gain in negotiations, representing major Palestinian
population centers in the West Bank but little beyond that. Meanwhile, nothing would be solved on the thorny
issues that face negotiators, such as Jerusalem, refugees, Palestinian
disarmament and borders. These would simply transform from the subject
of internationally backed (though not yet started) negotiations between
Israel and the PA to bilateral negotiations between Israel and the
state of Palestine."
- It's Now Or Never Juan Cole insists that the opportunity for a Palestinian state is fading. "Since the Netanyahu government is about the least likely government to
negotiate a Palestinian state within 1967 borders you could imagine,
the Palestinians are giving up any hopes that talks will lead anywhere.
Moreover, since Netanyahu has secret plans to thousands of further Israeli houses on Palestinian land in the next few years,
time is short. If it has not already happened, the likelihood is that a
Palestinian state will become impossible very shortly simply because
the West Bank looks like Swiss cheese because of all the Israeli
colonies on it," he writes. "I would argue that the psychological toll taken by the imposition of
statelessness on a people is more debilitating than the knowledge that
some of the group has been killed by oppressors."
- Historical Precedent Truthdig's Chris Hedges puts it in context. "It worked in Kosovo. It worked in Georgia. And it will work in
Palestine. There are 192 member states in the United Nations and as
many as 150 would recognize the state of Palestine, creating a
diplomatic nightmare for Israel and its lonely ally the United States.
Israel will face worldwide censure if it attempts to crush the
independent state by force and very likely be subjected to the kind of
divestment campaigns and boycotts that brought down the apartheid
government of South Africa," he writes. "The only alternative left to most Palestinians, unless an independent
state is declared, will be endless war and an embrace of Islamic
extremism."
